fbpx

Sydney Delight!

June 4, over 120 people battled the worst storms in decades to gather at The Shore School Hawkins Foyer for ICM’s annual Sydney Dinner. The diverse guest list included attendees of all ages, established ICM supporters and those keen to hear about ICM for the first time.

All full house - despite the weather!
A full house – despite the weather!

Board of Director Malcolm Wood warmly welcomed everyone to the dinner and we were surprised to see our first course was a bowl of nutrient-rich fortified rice. This is the food which is given to the recipients of the ICM Transform program, which helps families eat for less than AUD$0.04 a meal. It is also used to help malnourished children gain weight in ICM’s Home-Based Feeding programs.

Mal Woods (ICM BOD), Colin Laidlaw, Don Hayman (BOA)
Mal Woods (ICM BoD), Colin Laidlaw, Don Hayman (ICM BoA)

Together with her students Lucy Laidlaw and Sam Warren, Oxford Falls Grammar School Youth Chaplain Sophie Renton told us about their mission trip to the Philippines where they observed that despite living in hardship, people still retained a joyous, loving and humble attitude. They saw that the communities are extremely grateful to ICM for the help that they are given.

Sam speaks from the heart
Sam speaks from the heart

ICM’s CEO and Chairman of the Board, Dave Sutherland, gave a detailed presentation of the programs that ICM offers and highlighted the fact that the ultrapoor (those living on less than AUD$0.68 a day) are often in a cycle of poverty where hope is buried. It’s wonderful to think that ICM brings renewed hope to so many people through Transform which teaches Values, Health and Livelihood.

Dave Sutherland shares ICM's story
Dave Sutherland shares ICM’s story

 

Board of Advisor (BoA) Nick Foord, Shore School Chaplain gave a compelling three-minute presentation outlining why he is a long-term ICM supporter. Essentially, Rev Foord explained, ICM gives real solutions to real people with real problems.

A total of AUD$68,000 was raised throughout the enjoyable and entertaining evening – thank you for your partnership! The 20 items in the silent auction raised AUD$5,800 and the prizes were enthusiastically snapped up. Eight guests sponsored ICM’s Transform communities, changing the lives of about 290 families; three guests contributed to ICM’s Medical Mercy Fund that will save dozens of lives, and eight others invested into Business-in-a-Box kids that will help start 640 small businesses. As well, generous donations were given to the ‘area of the greatest need’. Be assured these donations will be used on the ground in the Philippines to transform lives.

 

Thirty kangaroos were sold by Melissa McPherson and Charlotte Wood to support 30 malnourished children and AUD500 worth of Red Rope handicraft products was sold by Beatrice Wood and Emma Spiritosanto supporting an underprivileged women’s livelihood business.

We were delighted to meet ICM participant Irene via Skype, who told us from the Philippines about the positive effects the Transform program has had on her family. She is now the proud owner of a small business which sells rice cakes to others in her community. Irene has also studied to be a beautician, a job that she loves, and says that she now believes in herself and feels that, after Transform, her life is not just about surviving – she has great hope for the future

As well as learning, the evening allowed many opportunities for laughter and deepening friendships.

Nicole McPherson (BOA), Ruth Spiritosanto, Verity Thomson
Nicole McPherson, Ruth Spiritosanto, Verity Thomson
Kara Wood (ICM BOA), Julienne Laidlaw (Oxford Falls Grammar School), Louise Hayman (BOA)
Kara Wood (ICM BoA), Julienne Laidlaw (Oxford Falls Grammar School), Louise Hayman (ICM BoA)

Our sincere thanks go to Nick Foord and Shore School who once again generously allowed ICM to use their school hall for the occasion and our partner Global Development Group, who accepts our Australian donations and enables us to offer you tax-deductibility. Special thanks to Nicole McPherson, Kara Wood, ICM’s Australian BoA and Lili Fisher for their hard work.

By Verity Thomson, long-term ICM supporter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cart

Total
US $0
Checkout

Oops! Your cart is empty

View great gifts